Whately library hosts local authors, including George Howe Colt

Author George H. Colt, shown here in his Whately home, will kick off the upcoming authors' series at Whately's Dickinson Library March 5.Brian Tedder file

WHATELY—Four authors will be speaking on a variety of topics - brotherly love, commercial fishing, leaving the Amish community and caring for dying loved ones - during the upcoming authors' series at the S. White Dickinson Memorial Library, 202 Chestnut Plain Road.

The evening events will include readings from the authors' works and time to discuss their subject matter and personal stories.

"I think many of us can name a local author or two, maybe someone who published a novel or children's picture book; but there are many local authors writing non-fiction works that don't receive the same publicity as Mo Willems (best know for his characters Knuffle Bunny, The Pigeon, and Elephant and Piggie), for example,” said Tiffany A. Hilton, library director.

“After working at the Whately library for four years, I've become more acquainted with writers in the area and put a series of non-fiction authors together that offers the community a chance to learn about the lifelong pursuits these authors have chosen to write about in the hopes of sharing their knowledge, experience and passion with others,” Hilton said.

George Howe Colt, who lives in Whately will be the featured author on March 5 at 6:30 p.m. He will read from his new book “Brothers: On His Brothers and Brothers in History.”

The author of “The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Home”-- a National Book Award finalist and a New York Times Notable Book—he reflects in “Brothers” on how his three brothers helped shape his life and examines the complex relationships between iconic brothers in history.

Though written about brothers, the book is applicable to family members of either gender.

Colt, the second of four sons, grew up in the Boston area and said his older brother was a high achiever and good athlete while his younger brother was more of a daredevil. (The fourth brother is six years younger than the third.)

“They made me much more competitive,” Colt said, though he tried not to show just how competitive. He wanted to be like his older brother—whom he adored and revered—and possibly wanted to eclipse him. But he could be more like his younger brother.

Parents have long been credited with being the greatest influences on children, but siblings have important influences too, Colt said, noting that it is interesting that children raised in the same family often grow up to be very different adults, like persons raised in unrelated families. “We all grow up in a different family even when we have the same family,” he said, because things change in family life like the parents’ relationship and financial situation and the number of children. “Each child is born into his or her own micro environment.”

Another Whately resident, Matt Rigney, will be the presenter on March 18, at 6:30 p.m. He will speak about his book “In Pursuit of Giants: One Man’s Global Search for the Last of the Great Fish.” The book is a call to arms for the protection of the great fish of the sea--marlin, bluefin tuna and swordfish. It’s an adventure story that takes the author around the globe on a quest to discover how once-thriving species are now threatened, combining the romance of a sport narrative with the passionate advocacy of environmental writing.

On April 2, at 6 p.m. Saloma Miller Furlong, of Sunderland, will speak about her memoir, “Why I Left the Amish.” She grew up in an Amish community in Ohio and tells how she made this difficult break. She has told her story in the PBS American Experience program, “The Amish,” which premiered last year.

Joanna Lillian Brown will be the guest at the library on April 23 at 6:30 p.m. She will address what it means to be a good caregiver in end of life care.

She is the author of “Caring for Dying Loved Ones: A Helpful Guide for Families and Friends.” Investing time into thinking about caregiving roles and talking to loved ones about their wishes before a crisis hits helps persons make important decisions in a thoughtful way, she encourages.

This series of events is free and open to the public thanks to the support of the town's Cultural Council and the Friends of the Whately Library.

“I love that my job allows me to shine a spotlight on local talent, and we have four fabulous evenings to look forward to with these speakers this spring,” Hilton said.